Pat Benatar, Beach Boys join 'Blackfish' cancellation list

By Alan Duke, CNN

Updated 4:38 PM ET, Thu January 16, 2014

Photos: Celebs shun SeaWorld12 photos

Celebs shun SeaWorld – Ever since the CNN documentary "Blackfish" raised questions about the safety and humaneness of SeaWorld's practices, musicians booked for the 2014 Bands, Brew & BBQ concert series have been cutting ties with the Florida theme park. Others have also distanced themselves. Country singer Martina McBride, pictured, announced on Facebook that she had canceled her appearance scheduled for March.

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Photos: Celebs shun SeaWorld12 photos

Celebs shun SeaWorld – Neil Giraldo and Pat Benatar announced Thursday, January 16, that they will be canceling their performance at Bands, Brew & BBQ.

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Celebs shun SeaWorld – The Beach Boys also canceled their show at the event.

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Celebs shun SeaWorld – Former Savage Garden singer Darren Hayes told a Twitter user he did not know the band's "The Animal Song" was being used during SeaWorld's performances. He said he has written to his publisher about it.

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Celebs shun SeaWorld – Edgar Winter told his fans via Facebook that he and his wife, Monique, would do "everything in our power" to stop SeaWorld from using his song "Free Ride" during its performances.

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Celebs shun SeaWorld – REO Speedwagon announced December 13 that it had canceled its performance.

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Celebs shun SeaWorld – On December 12, Trisha Yearwood pulled out "in light of recent concerns," according to her representative.

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Celebs shun SeaWorld – Although Joan Jett was not scheduled to perform at SeaWorld, one of her songs featured prominently in the park's killer whale shows. "I was surprised and upset to see on YouTube that SeaWorld used 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll' as the opening music for its cruel and abusive 'Shamu Rocks' show," Jett wrote in a letter to SeaWorld President Jim Atchison on December 11. "I'm among the millions who saw 'Blackfish' and am sickened that my music was blasted without my permission at sound-sensitive marine mammals. ... These intelligent and feeling creatures communicate by sonar and are driven crazy in the tiny tanks in which they are confined." A SeaWorld spokesman said that although the park had licensed the song legally, it will no longer be used in the shows.

Celebs shun SeaWorld – On December 7, sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson tweeted, "Heart has chosen to decline their forthcoming performance at SeaWorld on 2/9/14 due to the controversial documentary film 'Black Fish.' " Nancy, left, wrote, "The Sea World show was planned long ago as an Orlando show. Had we known, we'd have said no then. We said no today. Love you all."

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Celebs shun SeaWorld – After the airing of the documentary and the Change.org petition urging Willie Nelson to withdraw from the concert series, Nelson obliged, saying, "What they do at SeaWorld is not OK." He told CNN's Brooke Baldwin: "I don't agree with the way they treat their animals. (Canceling the show) wasn't that hard a deal for me."

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Celebs shun SeaWorld – Barenaked Ladies was among the first acts to question their affiliations with SeaWorld, and the band took to Facebook in November to explain why it was canceling its SeaWorld concert. "This is a complicated issue, and we don't claim to understand all of it, but we don't feel comfortable proceeding with the gig at this time," the band wrote. "The Seaworld folks have been gracious, and extended us invitations to the park to learn more about what they do, and how they do it."

The "Blackfish" controversy that torpedoed SeaWorld's Orlando concert series has now sunk some shows at Busch Gardens Tampa.

"We regret to announce that the Beach Boys and Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo have canceled their performances at Bands, Brew & BBQ this year, but we respect their decision," a Busch Gardens Tampa spokesman said Thursday. "We're disappointed that there is a media controversy enacted by animal activists and based on misinformation."

Busch Gardens Tampa is owned by SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, which has been targeted by animal rights activists since the airing of the documentary "Blackfish" on CNN last October.

A long list of musical acts have canceled shows that were scheduled as part of SeaWorld's "Bands, Blues & BBQ" in February and March.

Benatar said in a statement to CNN that she canceled her February 22 show once she realized that Busch Gardens was affiliated with SeaWorld. "In light of this we have opted to cancel our February 22, 2014, performance at Busch Gardens in Tampa."

The Beach Boys issued a short statement: "The Beach Boys have cancelled their performance on February 15, 2014. The band regrets any inconvenience this may have caused their fans and they look forward to returning to Tampa soon."

'Blackfish' backlash

The entertainers' exodus from SeaWorld's calendar began soon after CNN broadcast the documentary "Blackfish" in October. The film tells the story of the killing of a SeaWorld trainer by an orca in 2010. It raises questions about the safety and humaneness of keeping killer whales in captivity.

Online petitions and social media postings targeted the acts who had signed on to play at the park.

Acts that have canceled SeaWorld shows include Trace Adkins, Trisha Yearwood, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Heart, Barenaked Ladies, Martina McBride and 38 Special. Only Justin Moore and Scotty McCreery remain from the original list of acts on the event calendar. Their representatives have not responded to CNN's repeated requests for comment.

The Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies was the first to cancel, reacting to a petition posted on Change.org.

"This is a complicated issue, and we don't claim to understand all of it, but we don't feel comfortable proceeding with the gig at this time," the band said on its Facebook page.

"I don't agree with the way they treat their animals," Willie Nelson said on December 6 when he canceled. "It wasn't that hard a deal for me."

Sisters Nancy and Ann Wilson of Heart did not elaborate last month when they announced their decision to cancel at SeaWorld, although they acknowledged it was "due to the controversial documentary film."

SeaWorld's defense

SeaWorld said it would like the musical artists to learn for themselves about SeaWorld.

"The bands and artists have a standing invitation to visit any of our parks to see firsthand or to speak to any of our animal experts to learn for themselves how we care for animals and how little truth there is to the allegations made by animal extremist groups opposed to the zoological display of marine mammals," Gollattscheck said.

"More than 11 million people a year visit SeaWorld parks and most will see a killer whale presentation during their visit," Gollattscheck said. "Over the course of our 50-year history hundreds of millions of people have experienced killer whales in our parks. There is tremendous appeal in that kind of inspirational and educational experience and we anticipate that killer whale display will continue for generations to come."

Thursday's announcement is the first word of cancellations at affiliated parks. The controversy did not appear to dampen the profits of the parent company. Propelled by fourth-quarter attendance, SeaWorld expects an estimated $1.46 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2013, the company announced Monday.

The results, while preliminary, are expected to be a record for the 50-year-old company. SeaWorld reported total revenue in 2012 of $1.42 billion, according to SEC filings. Strong attendance numbers at its flagship locations in Orlando, Florida, San Diego, California, and San Antonio, Texas, among others, helped boost the marine park's gains.

"We are very pleased with our fourth quarter performance, particularly for the SeaWorld-branded parks in Orlando and San Diego, which helped us to achieve record revenue for the year," said SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. President and CEO Jim Atchison in a news release.